Hose attachment for washing machines



p 1940- A. H. GERHARDT HOSE ATTACHMENT FQR WASHING MACHINES Filed llay 2, 1939 :g in \D Z /////////////I///////////////h////////////// ////////////Z 4 T I i1 E INVENTOR.

' A'ndrew. h. Gerhardt ATTO EY.

Patenled sept. 3, 1940 [UNITED STATE HOSE ATTACHMENT i MACHINES FOR WASHING Andrew H. Gerhardt, Chicago, Ill., assignmto Electric Household Utilities Corporation, Chicago, Ill., acorporation of Illinois Application May 2, 1938, Serial No. 205,411

' 2 Claims.

larly, the present invention is directed to a hose 5 and'pump attachment by virtue of which the washing fluid may be quicklywithdrawn from the.

tub and forcibly discharged into a suitable drain or container.

Heretofore, there have been employed several different types of hose attachments for use in connection with washing machines. One 'ofithe most commonly used-includes a piece of flexible hose, attached at one end. to a pump, while the other end is-provided with a rigid, metal, hookshaped tubular discharge outlet fixture. Such hook-formed fixture provides suitable anchorage means for the end of the hose, ove r the ledge of a stationary tub or container for discharging the washing fluid from the tube of the washing machine. Such types of hose attachments have, however, been found somewhat objectionable, particularly because the hose, when the machine is not in use, is by necessity compelled to be draped around the machine, with the hooked end portion of the hose anchored wherever convenient, and usually such portion is hooked over the upper marginal edge of the tub. Due to the enamel or porcelain finish of the tubs of present day machines, itfrequently happens that placement of the metallic hook-shaped end fixture of the hose in position on the tub results in chipping or fracturing of the enamel or porcelain surface.

Furthermore, such forms of hose attachments do not lend themselves for convenient anchorage to the machine and hence the hose is frequently knocked from its place of anchorage to the floor. By way of illustration, when the Washing machine is being operated,'it is frequently found inconvenient to have the hooked end disposed over the upper edge of the tub because it prevents proper seating of the cover of the machine, and thus necessitates an effort to anchor the free end of the hose to some other support, such as perhaps the wringer post of the machine, or perhaps over the edge of the stationary tub. Due to the fact that the hose must be awkwardly draped around the machine for anchorage, it presents an unsightly appearance and detracts from the display of washing machines in stores or salesrooms. Due to insecure anchorage ofthe hose on the machine, it often is inadvertently dislodged and knocked on the floor byprospective purchasers examining the machines.

It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a novel and improved hose attachment which definitely obviates the foregoing objections and difficulties.

Another object is to provide a novel and improved hose attachment by virtue of which the free end of the hose may be detachably secured 5 to the exterior wall of the washing machine in a convenient, out-of-the-way location.

A further object is to provide an improved hose attachment including connections by virtue of which the free end of the hose may be detachal0 bly secured, with the discharge end portion of the hose disposed in a generally upright direction, in close proximity to the exterior wall of the machine.

A still further object of the invention resides in 15 the provision of an improved hose attachment of the character indicated, and which is relatively simple in construction and economical to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of, the present 20 invention will be .apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a clothes washing machine provided with a hose attachment em- 25 bodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional view taken substantially as indicated at line 22 on Fig. 1, showing the mode of attachment of the hose proper to the wall of the body structure of '30 the washing machine.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through the interconnecting fixtures 'of the hose and the machine, taken substantially as indicated at line 33 on Fig. 2.

For purpose of illustration, the washing machine shown in the drawing is of the type for washing clothing-and comprises a body structure including a tub ID, a base II on which the tub is supported, said base being provided with 40 a plurality of depending legs 12 for supporting the tub in proper spaced relation to the fioor. Mounted within the base II is a conventional pump M which may be understood to be provided with the usual connections to the tub I0 5 for withdrawing the washing fluid from the tub. Connected to the discharge end of the pump M, by a coupling I5, is a fiexible hose l6, which is adapted to extend outwardly beyond the lower marginal edge of the base, and desirably is of 50 substantial length so as to permit the discharge end to be disposed at a substantial distance from the pump, such as for discharging the washing fluid into a stationary tub or container, or into a suitable drain.

formed in the shape of a hook as indicated at H,

which hooked portion is relatively flxed although resilient and serves to protect the upper marginal edge of the porcelain coated tub when the hose is hooked around said edge of the tub. Furthermore, by forming the hooked end of the hose of non-metallic, relatively. flexible material, also eliminates the noise attendant upon placement of the hooked end of the hose in position on the washing machine.

The portion of the hose immediately adjacent the hooked end I! is encased in a sleeve l9,.preferably of sheet metal, and secured to thelower end of the sleeve by means of rivets 20, is a lug or tongue-like projection 2| adapted to be detachably seated in a socket 22, formed in bracket 23. Said bracket is provided with a pair of laterally and oppositely extending wings, rigidly attached to the exterior lower portion of the base H of the washing machine, by means of bolts 24, with a plate 25 interposed between the exterior surface of the base I I and the wings of the bracket 23. Frictionally mounted on said flexible hose portion, in abutting relation to the opposite ends of the sleeve l9, are collars 21, preferably formed of rubber, for positively positioning the sleeve against endwise movement on the hose. It will now be apparent, by virtue of the construction described, that the sleeve l9 may serve as a convenient hand grasp for the hose, and permits quick and easy engagement or disengagement of its tongue 2| with the socket 22, on the base of the washing machine. When the tongue is projected into the socket, as seen in the draw ing, the discharge end portion of the hose is disposed in generally upright direction and in relatively close proximity to the wall of the machine, with the hooked portion ll, of the hose disposed below the upper marginal edge of'the tub l0. Due to the construction described, the hose may be stored in a neat, relatively fixed position, and located in a position so as to improve the general 2,21s,oee 4 appearance of the machine, in addition to insuring protection to the highly flnished surface of the machine, as ell-as the hose.

Although I hav herein shown and described a preferred embodiment of my invention, manifest- ,ly it is capable of modification and re-arrangev ment without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to beunderstood as limiting this invention to the precise form therein disclosed, except asit may be so llm-' ited in the appended claims.

I claim:'

1. Fluid discharge apparatus comprisinga sup-'- porting structure including an upright external surface, a flexible hose, and means for detachably securing one end portion of said hose to said external surface of the supporting structure, said means including a relatively rigid sleeve on said hose portion, a pair of collars frictionally mounted on said hose portion in abutting relation to the ends of said sleeve for maintaining it in fixed position on said hose portion, and disengageable cooperating features on said sleeve and said supporting structure. r

2. Fluid discharge apparatus comprising a supporting structure for a receptacle adapted to contain fluid, said supporting structure including an l upright external surface, a flexible hose adapted to'be connected at one end to a discharge conduit associated with the receptacle, the other end of said hose terminating in a pre-formed,

relatively fixed hook portion, and means fordetachably securing the portion of the hose immediately below said hook portion to the said external surface of the supporting structure, said means including a sleeve on said hose portion,

' a pair of collars frictionally mounted on said hoseportion in abutting relation to the ends of said sleeve for maintaining it in fixed position on said hose portion, and disengageable cooperating features on said sleeve and said supporting structure.

- ANDREW H. GERHARDT. 

